Modern motor vehicles are often constructed such that they can be adapted in as versatile a manner as possible to the respective requirements of the user of the vehicle, whether it is to be able to transport as many passengers as possible, or to have as much cargo space as possible for transporting loads. For example, so-called “compact vans” are sold for this purpose as passenger cars. These compact vans are large-capacity cars for which the design of the passenger compartment can be particularly widely varied. There is typically provided in compact vans of this type a third row of seats behind a second row of seats in order to be able to transport up to 7 or 8 passengers. The seats of the two rows can be collapsed and folded down so that in this way a relatively large cargo space is available for carrying loads, without it being necessary to laboriously dismantle the seats. For example, a 7-seater large-capacity vehicle of this type is sold by the Applicant under the name of “Zafira”.
Although the variability, inherent in compact vans of this type, of the passenger compartment is quite capable of satisfying the usual requirements of the user in respect of transporting passengers and loads, it has been found in practice that when a maximum number of passengers is being transported, more often than not loads, for example pieces of luggage, also have to be transported. However, in compact vans, there is comparatively little space available for transporting loads when the maximum number of passengers is in the vehicle.
In contrast to the foregoing, it is at least one object is to provide additional cargo space for transporting loads, in particular when a passenger compartment is fully occupied. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description, summary, abstract, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.